Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Med J Aust. 2014 Feb 3;200(2):96-9. doi: 10.5694/mja13.10103.
To report, and determine reasons for, a change in the gender ratio observed among enrolled medical students after removal of the interview from the selection process.
DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional study of 4051 students admitted to the medical program at the University of Queensland between 2004 and 2012. Students are enrolled either directly as graduates or via a school-leaver pathway.
Change in proportions of male and female students over time, and gender-specific scores in the three sections of the GAMSAT (Graduate Medical School Admissions Test).
Between 2004 and 2008 (when an interview was part of the selection process), 891 enrolled students (51.4%) were male, whereas between 2009 and 2012 (no interview), 1134 (57.7%; P < 0.001) were male. This change in gender ratio was limited to domestic direct graduate-entry students, and the male proportion in this group rose from 50.9% (705 students) before the interview was removed to 64.0% (514 students; P < 0.001) after removal of the interview (reaching 73.8% in 2012). Between 2004 and 2012, male students consistently performed better than female students on GAMSAT section III (mean score, 71.5 v 68.5; P < 0.001).
The proportion of males enrolled in the medical program at this university increased markedly after removal of the interview from the selection process. This change is limited to domestic direct graduate-entry students, and seems to be due to higher scores by male students in section III of the GAMSAT. The interview may play an important role in ensuring gender equity in selection, and medical schools should carefully monitor the consequences of changes to selection policy.
报告并确定在选拔过程中取消面试后，入读医学生的性别比例发生变化的原因。
设计、地点和参与者：对 2004 年至 2012 年间在昆士兰大学入读医学项目的 4051 名学生进行的横断面研究。学生通过直接毕业生途径或中学毕业生途径入学。
随着时间的推移，男女生比例的变化，以及 GAMSAT（研究生医学院入学考试）三个部分的性别特异性分数。
在 2004 年至 2008 年（面试是选拔过程的一部分）期间，有 891 名入学学生（51.4%）为男性，而在 2009 年至 2012 年（无面试）期间，有 1134 名（57.7%；P <0.001）为男性。这种性别比例的变化仅限于国内直接入学的毕业生，该组中男性的比例从取消面试前的 50.9%（705 名学生）上升到取消面试后的 64.0%（514 名学生；P <0.001），并在 2012 年达到 73.8%。在 2004 年至 2012 年期间，男生在 GAMSAT 第三部分的得分始终高于女生（平均分数，71.5 比 68.5；P <0.001）。
在选拔过程中取消面试后，入读本大学医学项目的男生比例显著增加。这种变化仅限于国内直接入学的毕业生，似乎是由于 GAMSAT 第三部分的男生得分较高所致。面试可能在确保选拔中的性别平等方面发挥重要作用，医学院校应仔细监测选拔政策变化的后果。
